


First Contact

by avulle



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-20
Updated: 2015-06-20
Packaged: 2018-04-05 06:39:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4169754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avulle/pseuds/avulle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jasper is nothing like Rose.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First Contact

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [A warrior should be adaptable if nothing else](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/122037) by The Gem Beast's Temple. 



> This is a drabble inspired by the third panel in [The Gembeast's Temple](http://thegembeaststemple.tumblr.com/)'s fanart for Jasper dancing with all of the crystal gems: [A warrior should be adaptable if nothing else](http://thegembeaststemple.tumblr.com/post/116611864547/a-warrior-should-be-adaptable-if-nothing-else)
> 
> I found the image of someone lowering themselves Pearl's level and bowing their head to her to be very powerful, and it inspired me to write this.

Jasper is nothing like Rose.

She is hard and sharp and loud and angry.

Her weapon is not a shield, or even a weapon—

It is a helmet—created to protect her, and only her.

 

She is everything that Pearl should hate.

She is everything Pearl reviled about homeworld, and none of what she misses now.

(She is nothing like Rose.)

 

But when she is with Pearl, she is with Pearl, and no one else.

When she is with Pearl, she brings all of herself to bear in their every interaction, never ignoring or disregarding her.

When she is with Pearl, she stares directly into Pearl’s eyes with a burning amber intensity, her eyes never once clouding with pity.

 

And when they fight, she does not pull her punches.

When they fight, she brings every ounce of her strength to bear, as if the outcome could ever possibly be in doubt.

When they fight, she acts like she has something to gain.

 

So when she loses to Garnet, day after day after day, and comes before Pearl, asking for her help, trusting Pearl to know how to be strong, Pearl meets her gaze, and does not refuse her.

She teaches her how to be weak, how to stand up when she has been knocked down.

She teaches her how to be cowardly, how to run when she needs to.

She teaches her how to be dishonest, how to lie and how to cheat.

 

Jasper lowers her massive form down onto one knee to meet her eyes, and she does not scoff or disregard her advice.

She listens, and she learns how to be weak—how to stand when she has been knocked down.

She listens, and she learns how to be cowardly—how to run when she needs to.

She listens, and she learns how to be dishonest—how to lie and how to cheat.

 

Everything that Pearl couldn’t teach Steven, because he is too strong and too pure (and too full of Rose) for Pearl to ever think of sullying him with her own strength, she gives to a gem that she should hate with all her heart.

(Because she meets Pearl’s eyes, and looks upon Pearl as her equal.)

 

And Jasper fights Garnet, and loses.

She loses and loses and loses, but keeps getting up, keeps running, and keeps lying, and then, finally, she wins.

(Just once.)

 

_Pearl_ , she says, massive voice echoing across the sea. _Thank you_.

She drops to her knee, places her massive hands on both of Pearl’s shoulders.

_I couldn’t have done it without you_.

 

And Jasper continues to be weak and cowardly and dishonest, fighting like she is small and thin and breakable.

She continues to lose and lose and lose and lose, and then sometimes win.

(Pearl continues to watch her fight, feeling an emotion she cannot describe.)

 

Later, when Jasper decides that she wishes to fuse, wishes to learn the strength that can be gained only by being one with another, she comes before Pearl once more.

And, once more, she lowers herself to one knee and meets Pearl’s eyes, and Pearl does not refuse her.

 

When they dance, she does not force Pearl to her own rhythm.

When they dance, she begins by lowering herself to Pearl’s level, and holding her hand out for Pearl to take.

When they dance, she pulls Pearl’s body to her own, and stares down at her like she is the only gem in the world.

 

They dance to Pearl’s melody, soft and slow and gentle.

They do not gyrate or grind—

They dance.

Soft, and slow, and gentle.

Over, and over, and over again.

 

Simple steps, across the beach and back again, to the soft melody of the waves.

Never hurrying, and never rushing.

Never fusing.

 

Day after day after day, Jasper returns to her, drops to her knee, and holds out her hand.

Day after day after day, Pearl takes it, and they dance.

Days become weeks, weeks become months, and their dance changes.

 

Their steps grow larger, their turns broader, and their movements more insistent.

They dance across the beach, sand billowing and matching their movements all around them—

And they begin to hurry.

They begin to rush.

(They fuse.)

 

Chalcedony is born.

She stares at herself in wonder, spins and dances with herself on the beach, and crows her victory to the sky.

 

The next day, Jasper fights Garnet once more.

This time, she does not lie, or cheat, or run away.

She meets Garnet head on, matches her blow for blow, and does not lose.

(She does not once fall, and does not once need to get back up.)

 

Pearl watches as she is once again rendered obsolete.

(That night, Jasper returns to her, drops to one knee, and holds out her hand.)

(Pearl takes it.)


End file.
